You're My Fixation
by mattea1
Summary: "And it was in that moment that I became addicted to the drug that is Alex Vause." Piper Chapman meets Alex Vause while still in college... and she's everything she's been looking for.
1. Chapter 1

It's only 3pm and I'm already itching to leave. Sometimes I wonder why I ever took this job, but then I picture the condescending glare of my father and the judgment filled tone laced throughout all of my mother's questions and I quickly remember. I need independence. Polly doesn't understand; she agrees with my parents that the entire point of college is to find someone to settle down with and become the perfect family all their friends would be envious of. Polly is halfway there if this Pete fellow she's so hung up on ends up being the real deal. Whenever I stagger out of my room in the morning cursing about being late for work I'm greeted with an over exaggerated eye roll and a "honestly Piper just quit. You're such a stubborn asshole sometimes." And I once again find myself asking why the hell we are friends.

But work isn't always that bad. Nerudas is honestly one of the best-hidden gems in the city. Catering to college students and those who love the bohemian lifestyle, Nerudas has a prime stock of vinyls, books, and even the rare DVD. Not to mention the small café in the back that sells the best damn coffee in the city. I was ecstatic when I first got the position… that was two months ago and my joy has quickly faded. The days are slow; few people ever come in unless its open mic night and then we are struggling to cater to the mob that seems to appear out of nowhere. Most of the time however I find myself reading behind the counter or rearranging vinyls for the millionth time. Today is no different.

Elbows propped up on the counter I lose myself in my latest find, failing to hear the bell above the door chime as someone enters the store. Minutes pass as I absorb page after page when suddenly I feel as if I am being watched. Glancing up I meet the gaze of one of the hottest women I have ever seen. _God those eyes!_ They are the deepest shade of green I have ever seen and I can't help but stare as they flick over my body. One perfectly sculpted eyebrow rises as she meets my gaze. "That must be a good book, I've been standing here for ages and you never even noticed me. What great customer service."

I could feel the blush spreading through my cheeks as I stumbled for a reply. "It is. I-I mean, not that you're not important. I just didn't… I… What can I do for you?" _Oh God damn this foot in mouth disease! _A shiver runs down my spine when I hear her laugh at my bumbling. "Jesus kid, lighten up." When I look up again I hold her stare. Neither of us looking away as we try to figure out what the other is thinking. "What's your name anyway?"

"Piper, Piper Chapman." _Oh God, really you had to include your last name? Way to go genius. _I hear her chuckle before she extends one pale, flawless hand. "I'm Alex." Then after a moments hesitation she smirks and adds "Alex Vause." She glances around and focuses her gaze on the record player in the corner. "Interesting choice. I didn't peg you to be an Amy Winehouse fan." Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow is wafting through the air and I find myself swaying along to the beat inadvertently. I smile and throw a glance over my shoulder only to find that her eyes are glued to my hips. The fire dancing across her irises sends a rush of heat to my core. Suddenly she's smirking and I look away trying to control the rush of emotions evoked by her gaze. She hands me a pile of books and continues to smirk as I ring up her total. "You're here all by yourself?"

I nod and glance towards the front door. "Yeah my coworker went out for a smoke… that was like 2 hours ago though so he probably isn't coming back. I hope you don't want a coffee because I really suck at making those." Glancing down at the book in my hand I can't help but smile. "This one's really good. Kundera is a genius." She doesn't offer a reply and I glance up nervously hoping I didn't say something stupid once again. Her eyes are narrowed, lips pursed and she appears to be assessing me, as if I'm some puzzle she can't figure out.

"You read Kundera?" Those perfect eyebrows rise as if challenging my statement.

"Of course, he's amazing. He… He sheds light on my inner desires and finds words to describe the fundamental truths of life. I mean what could be more accurate than 'When the heart speaks the mind finds it indecent to object.'" Staring straight into her eyes I find myself whispering "Haven't you ever wanted something you know you shouldn't, but once you've set your heart on it your mind fails to come up with reasons as to why its wrong." My gaze drops to her lips and I can feel my pupils darken as I watch them part and her tongue peeps out, innocently wetting them before she speaks in a rasp so deep I involuntarily shudder.

"I think I'm beginning to."

And it was in that moment that I became addicted to the drug that is Alex Vause.


	2. Chapter 2

I love my job. It's been three weeks since I first met Alex and she has showed up nearly every time I have a shift. We talk about books and music, movies and actors, philosophy and religion; Alex is a never-ending pool of knowledge. She literally has an opinion on every topic. She is fascinating. Polly has noticed a change in my behavior as I now rush to work with a smile, it's getting harder to deflect her questions but I just want to keep Alex all to myself for as long as possible. I've known her for less than a month and yet I feel as though I could trust her with anything.

I've always loved the rain. When the darkness envelops everything around you and the rain falls in torrents, mercilessly washing away anything it can touch. Its cleansing, soothing, and oh so therapeutic. Today is supposedly the worst storm of the year. Walls of water cascade off the roof so thick that you can't see further than a foot away from the door. I've been here for six hours and not a single customer has set foot in the door. Taking advantage of the time alone I wander along the bookcases rearranging the novels that have gotten out of order. Bending over I start to work on the bottom shelf when I hear the bell ding above the door. _What idiot decided to come out in this weather? _

"Pipes?" _Alex._ A smile graces my lips as I straighten up and walk back towards the front of the store. Rounding the corner I stop dead in my tracks. Standing before me is a soaking wet Alex Vause. Dark jeans grip her curves perfectly and a drenched white shirt clings desperately to her figure. Her hair is dripping down her back and she is furiously wiping at her glasses attempting to free them from the water adhering to the lenses. My jaw drops and for a second I seem to have forgotten how to breathe.

"You're wet." Is all I manage to stutter out. Her gorgeous head snaps up and as she takes in my flustered state she begins to smirk. "Always so observant. Why don't you come over here and help me instead of staring like an idiot." She laughs and I slowly walk towards her. "What do you want me to do?"

She rakes her gaze down to my skintight shorts and shakes her head "Oh kid you don't want to know." Seeing my face turn as red as a tomato she winks and adds, "For now though why don't you get me some paper towels or something?"

Walking behind the counter I grab a roll and try to still my erratic heartbeat. _Calm down you moron its just Alex. Soaking wet, dripping in sex appeal Alex. Dammit I'm screwed. No, no you don't even know if she likes you like that. She's been here for weeks and has never made a move. Calm the fuck down Piper, just breathe. _

"Here ya go." I smile as I hand her the roll using every ounce of will power I have left to not stare at her breasts, which are outlined rather enticingly in a black lace bra… Ok maybe I glanced, but damn it she's hot!

"Thanks." She begins wiping at some of the excess water covering her arms and neck before attempting to dry her hair. "Jesus it's like a monsoon out there." Without thinking I reach forward and still her hand. "Here let me." I whisper while grabbing the towels and leading her to one of the small tables located near the café. Sitting her down in one of the chairs I slowly start to dry her hair. Running my fingers from her scalp down to the enticingly blue ends I slowly caress her beautiful jet-black locks with the towel. She leans her head back into my hands, unintentionally letting out a small sigh when I rub my thumb over that small spot behind her ear. I never want to stop touching her. I run my fingers through her hair over and over again, occasionally using the towel to catch some of the water. All Shook Up by Avila flows out of the speakers wrapping us up in its sensual rhythm. Alex's hair is still damp but most of the water has been removed. I'm absentmindedly toying with her blue ends thinking about how damn good she smells when I feel her hand surround my wrist.

A slight tug pulls me onto her lap and I gasp in surprise. "You're freezing!"

Our faces are inches apart; I can practically feel my body heat being absorbed by her frozen torso. "Warm me up then," she whispers. Leaning in slightly she grabs the back of my neck with one hand while the other firmly grips my hip.

When addicts reflect back on their first time using or tasting the thing that becomes their obsession many of them say the same thing. Life before was colorless; they were simply existing, not living. Then, they found the thing that brought color and meaning to their world. And with one taste they knew that they were hooked forever. As Alex's lips pressed into mine I understood completely what they meant. Colors danced across my brain forever tainting what I thought love could be. How could I ever settle for black and white once I've seen the richness of red? I moaned into her mouth and pulled her closer, wanting all of her at once.

Alex's mouth moved across my jaw and down my neck, biting and licking in all the right places. I arched into her, straining my neck to give her as much room to work with as possible. I felt her chuckle reverberate across my pulse point as she finished leaving one of the biggest hickies I've ever seen on my skin claiming me as hers. Her hands started to wander across my body, tickling my sides, splaying flat against my stomach, skirting around the swell of my breasts. Never lingering, she continued her torturous exploration. Finally I caved. "Alex, _please_. Do something! Don't be such a tease."

Another chuckle escaped her perfect mouth; she leaned in closer and took my earlobe in her teeth, biting softly before whispering "I like it when you beg. Do you have any idea how much you turn me on?" While she spoke her hands continued to move, finally coming to rest right underneath my breast. "Is this what you want baby?" She moved her palm up and slipped her hand under my bra, firmly grasping me. A moan escaped me as she started kneading and gentle pulling on my nipple. I unconsciously began to move my hips against her thigh. "My, my aren't we anxious. Is this a sensitive spot Pipes? Can I make you come undone just by touching you like" pinching my nipple she finished "this."

My eyes rolled back in my head as I fought to stay lucid. She bit my neck while pinching once more on my nipple softly rubbing it to ease the pain. I was done for. In between moans I managed to breathe out "Alex. Fuck. Me. Now." Gone was her trademark smirk. In its place was an expression so filled with hunger it made my muscles clench in anticipation.

She abruptly stood, carrying me over to the bar at the café. She gently laid me down and quickly climbed on top, kissing me deeply as she hovered above me. One of her hands toyed with the hem of my shorts while the other supported her weight. She masterfully undid the button and was slowly lowering the zipper when the bell above the door rang.

Springing apart I banged my head on the espresso machine as I desperately attempted to put some distance between us. Clawing at my zipper I was able to secure the button moments before a figure emerged around the corner.

"Mr. Clayton! What are you doing here?" He squinted his eyes at me as he pointed towards the clock. "Its closing time. I came to lock up." Embarrassed, I glanced over at Alex who was leaning nonchalantly against the wall. At first glance it would appear as if she was indifferently observing our conversation but the desire in her eyes and clenched fists told a different story.

Doing my best to remain inconspicuous I shrugged. "Oh right, sorry I just lost track of time. I'll see you Sunday." Grabbing Alex's hand I rushed towards the door snatching my purse on the way. Now both of us were standing in the downpour silently asking each other what was next. Once again it was me that caved. "Alex I-"

"Come home with me." Surprised I peered through the rain trying to study her face for signs that I had heard her wrong. Instead all I saw was that familiar hunger. She pushed me up against her car and began placing kisses against my neck. "Pipes, come with me" she growled.

Without a second thought I nodded and whispered "Ok."


	3. Chapter 3

The ride to Alex's apartment seemed to last a lifetime. I was intoxicated with her scent, her taste, and I needed more. My hands itched to touch her; my brain was completely filled with thoughts of her. I glanced over to see if she was feeling the same overpowering emotions but I was met with her usual calm face, eyes focused intently on the road. Disappointment flooded my chest. How on earth could she be so relaxed! Then my gaze flicked to her hands and I couldn't suppress a smile. Both fists were gripping the wheel so tight that her knuckles where a desperate shade of white. This revelation caused me to look for other subtle signs that would give her away. Her chest rose and fell slowly. Oh so slowly. Her eyes yes were trained on the road, but the fire I had evoked minutes ago was still there. Alex was fighting for control. And that was when I came up with a brilliant plan to play a game I like to call _How Far Can I Push Alex Before She Breaks. _

Leaning forward I adjusted the radio searching for a new station while slowly sliding towards the middle of the seat. Her eyes flicked over towards me but quickly returned to the road. FKA Twigs floated out from the speakers and I leaned back adjusting to my new seat. Slowly I raised one arm bracing it on the back of the seat while I twirled a strand of her hair around my fingers. Her hands somehow managed to grip the wheel even tighter than before, but she never said a word. Pressing my body up against hers I laid my head on her shoulder turning my face towards hers', making sure I was close enough that my breathe would hit her neck. "Piper." She growled out in a warning.

Smirking I snuggled even closer while placing my other hand on her thigh. In the most innocent voice I could muster I whispered, "what? I'm cold. In case you forgot we are both soaking wet." Slowly I began to run my hand up and down her thigh, lightly tracing patterns over the wet denim. Her breath caught as my hand got dangerously close to her center only to be shakily released as I quickly moved back towards her knee. Leaning in I brushed my lips against her ear and whispered "How much further?" Then before she could reply I took her lobe in my mouth and begin lightly tugging and nipping, only letting go to murmur once more "For your sake I hope we're close, because I'm not sure how much longer I can wait." Noticing her increasing breathing I smiled and began trailing my lips across her jaw and down her flawless, pale neck. When my teeth found her pulse point I felt her involuntarily shudder. Nipping and sucking I began to leave my mark, wanting to imprint myself into her very being. "Goddamn it Piper!" she groaned as her feet pressed heavily on the gas hurling us towards home and her impending release.

As I continued to kiss her neck I shifted my body throwing one leg over her thigh while my hand left her leg and drifted up her body. A hunger I had never felt before took over me, making me desperate for her. I needed her, every inch of her, and I needed her now. Desperate hands forced their way under her shirt, one kneading relentlessly at her breast, while the other began to run across her stomach and toyed with the hem of her jeans. A moan escaped Alex's throat, vibrating across my lips as I kissed my way back up to her face. Latching once more on her ear I breathed heavily against her, never once stopping the movement of my hands. I was so lost in her taste that I failed to feel the car abruptly turn and come to a stop.

Quickly switching off the ignition Alex threw the door open in one move picked me up and stepped out into the rain. Slamming my back against the car as I wrapped my legs around her waist her mouth finally met mine. Ignoring the water pouring down our backs we got lost in each other's heat. Pulling back for air Alex looked deep into my eyes before resting her forehead against mine. Both of us were struggling for breath, trying to figure out what was happening. This was entirely new for me. Never before had I felt a passion so strong that I feared it would consume me before I could find release. All I knew was that if I didn't have Alex soon I would surely burst. I leaned into her mouth once more, willingly surrendering to the flames. Without breaking the kiss Alex set me down and ran a hand up and down my back before looping her fingers through one of my belt loops. Tugging gently she began to walk me towards the building behind us, all the while kissing me senseless. Once inside she stepped back slightly, grabbed my hand, and led us to the elevator. Pressing the button for the top floor we began our ascent to Alex's home.

Once inside I didn't get a chance to look around as Alex led me straight to her bedroom. Closing the door behind me, she turned and I saw a hunger I knew mirrored mine reflected in her eyes. And yet as she stood there staring she offered me once last out. "Are you sure?" Her eyes pleaded with me to say yes, but I realized that even she knew that once we crossed this line there would be no going back. All it took was one look at her for me to know I would forever be willing to take the plunge. With a smile I grabbed her waist and pulled her towards me. "Yes."

Reaching for her shirt I pulled it over her head revealing more and more of her skin. When her breasts were exposed my hands automatically lifted towards them only to be swatted away by Alex. Looking up I came face to face with her trademark smirk. "What on earth makes you think you get to go first after that stunt you pulled in the car?" Running her hands down my sides to my hips she gripped my tank top and quickly disposed of it. Caressing my stomach she ran her fingers around the waistband of my shorts. "I've been wanting to get you out of these all day." After undoing the button and zipper she slowly pulled them down my legs, kissing every inch of skin that followed their descent. Stepping out of them I gripped her hair trying to pull her back up to me. Standing she cupped my chin and for a moment I got lost in her emerald orbs, the air around us thickened and for a second I found it hard to breathe. Then her lips were on mine and for once I felt complete.

Alex slowly pushed me back towards her bed and I felt my thighs hit the mattress. I lowered myself down crawling back towards the headboard while she stripped off the rest of her clothes. _Oh dear God, she's so gorgeous. _I didn't know where to look first; I wanted to drink in every inch of her. Slowly she went to the bed and crawled up to me. As long as I live I don't think I will ever see anything as sexy as Alex Vause was in that moment.

Finally she was here, face hovering inches away from mine, gazing at me with eyes so full of hunger that I knew before we had even begun that I would always remember this night. Her lips met mine in a rush. Her hand grasped my neck pulling me deeper and deeper into the kiss. Fingers danced around my back, closed around my bra, freeing me, and she tossed the thin lace fabric towards the other side of the room. When neither of us could breathe she broke for air and began her descent. Lips followed the trail she had marked just hours before, down my neck, hovering just for a moment over my pulse point. I couldn't breathe. This was all too much. Her hands were everywhere. Running up and down my thighs, skirting across my stomach, caressing the flesh right below my breast. I arched up into her hand and she began massaging my breast. Both of us simultaneously released a groan. This was right. Her lips continued their downward journey, kissing around my breast softly before taking my nipple in her mouth. Sucking and biting she drove me to a point of ecstasy no foreplay had before.

I reached for her hair, pulling her away and yet at the same time pushing her closer. Her hand traced a path to my hip, then further down, caressing me through the thin fabric. A guttural groan escaped her when she found they were soaked. I squirmed under her attention, needing her to give me the release my body craved. Slowly she released my breast and continued to kiss her way down the path her hand had just taken. She softly kissed the skin just above my underwear and began to slide the lace down my legs. I quickly kicked them off and froze when I felt her place a kiss just inside my thigh. The flames coiled in my stomach caused me to shake. _God I need her now!_ As if she read my mind her next kiss was exactly where I needed it. Hiking my leg above her shoulder she once again kissed my folds before taking one long lick up to my clit. My muscles flexed and I could no longer contain the string of moans that fled from my lip. Her tongue teased my entrance before plunging deeply in; tasting everything I had to offer.

My hands gripped the sheets so hard I was surprised they didn't tear. "Oh God, Al. Right there, Oh-Oh God!" I could feel her smirk as she continued to draw me to the edge. Without warning her tongue moved up and wrapped around my clit. Sucking hard she drew from me incoherent cries. With her continued ministrations it didn't take long for me to fall over the edge into bliss. Slowly she brought me down from my high and then kissed her way up my body. Smiling she cupped my chin and brought me in for a deep kiss. Tasting myself on her lips caused me to let out another moan. "Ya know I'm pretty good at making you do that" she smirked, before kissing me again. "Shut up." I mumbled while fighting a smile. Tracing her collarbone with my finger I leaned in and whispered "Is it my turn now?" Her eyes instantly darkened and I felt myself once again being pulled into the flames.


	4. Chapter 4

**First off I need to offer a sincere apology for the lack of updates with this story. A lot of things came out of nowhere and I found myself overwhelmed with responsibilities. However most of that has been taken care of and I am now back home so you can expect regular updates from now on. I cannot express how sorry I am over the delay but I hope that you all will forgive my hiatus. **

**I welcome any and all reviews as well as PMs. **

* * *

Blinking I slowly woke up from one of the deepest sleeps I've ever had. Sunlight filtered through the curtains casting shadows around an unfamiliar room. _An unfamiliar room… wait what? _Panic coursed through my veins until I felt a weight at my hip. Looking down I saw a pale arm snaked around me. _Alex. _All at once the panic was gone, replaced instead by an overwhelming feeling of peace. This felt so right. I slowly turned over so I was face to face with Alex. In protest to my movements she gripped my waist tighter, pulling me even closer to her without waking up.

The sunlight danced across her face, making her appear even younger than she was. Gone were the frown lines and ego-shattering smirk. In their place was an almost serene expression. For a moment I thought I caught a glimpse of the little girl she used to be. And that tiny twinkling of innocence made me fall for her harder than all the hours of snarky comments and flirting had ever done. I felt an acute ache slowly build up inside of my gut. I needed to see this again. I desperately wanted to wake up like this, to her beautiful face, every morning for the rest of my life. And in that moment of clarity I was overwhelmed with the sudden urge to run.

I barely know her! I can't possibly be imagining a future… and yet I did. I wanted this. I want her, all of her. And that is a totally new feeling. One that I'm not sure I like. What happened to being independent? And honestly out of all people you develop these feelings for Alex?! Alex the girl who has joked several times about how she doesn't do relationships. Alex, who admitted to be avoiding former flings on multiple occasions while she wasted hours away at your job. Alex, the woman who won't ever feel like this about me.

I vowed as a kid to never ever give someone my heart completely. After seeing the catastrophe that is my parent's marriage I learned that people will only hurt you. So the trick is to never get attached. If you don't give them your heart they can't break it. _I have to leave._

As I slowly inched away from Alex I carefully watched her face for signs of her waking. Instead, what I found was startling enough to make me pause. As I pulled further away her face slowly lost its innocence. Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth hardened into a frown. Her grip on my waist tightened and her muscles tensed. It was almost as if her subconscious didn't want me to leave. As if deep down she wanted me to stay. And for a moment I allowed myself to hope. None of this made sense. I was confident that this wasn't Alex and this definitely WAS NOT me! And yet there was a tiny voice in my head that whispered _maybe._

Weighing my options I decided to take a chance on what possibly could be, and snuggled back into her form. Immediately she relaxed, once again slipping into that blissful state. With a smile I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, then another on her nose. Slowly I ran my hands up and down her back, kissing her face repeatedly until her gorgeous green eyes slowly blinked open.

For several seconds Alex simply stared. Dread and panic began to rise in my chest as the moments ticked by. _Damn it Piper! You should've left; you knew she wouldn't want you to still be here. Now this is going to be awkward. Run…RUN!_

All thoughts ceased however the moment I felt a hand caress my cheek. A smile that would make the angel's sigh danced across her face. "Morning Pipes."

"Good Morning," I sighed. Glancing around I noticed the ripped sheets, images of them grasped in my fists as I rode out wave after wave of pleasure ripped through my mind. "Oh God I'm sorry about your sheets! I'll replace them I swear! That's never happened to me before I usually have much more control over myself…" My face was bright red as I tried to come up with something to say to lesson my embarrassment.

With a smirk Alex leaned in and caught my lips in a chaste kiss. "Don't bother. I'm keeping them as a trophy. Who knew the WASPY Piper Chapman was a screamer? I'm surprised the neighbors didn't come to make sure I wasn't torturing anyone." Chuckling she pulled away, all the while glancing down at my still naked form. Inhaling deeply she shook her head before staring at the ceiling. "Do you have to work today?"

My mind raced to catch up as I desperately tried to recall my schedule. "No, I'm off until Sunday." Her arm suddenly wrapped around me and tugged me on top of her. "Good," she whispered, slowly placing kisses down my neck. I inhaled sharply when she nipped at my collarbone. "Please tell me you don't have any plans."

A picture of Polly flickered across my mind and I knew that if I were to check my phone I'd see dozens of missed calls and messages. The logical side of me realized that I needed to leave and go deal with her before she drug my parents into this but when I felt Alex's hands firmly knead my ass I quickly decided _Fuck it. _"Nope, I'm all yours." I managed to whisper before her lips firmly connected with mine once again.

As pleasure coursed through my veins all I could think of was _this is not going to end well, but fuck if I'm not going to enjoy the ride. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow I am so overwhelmed with the interest this story has brought. I love messaging and talking to you guys and hearing your views on the fic! Thanks so much! Your reviews and messages are greatly appreciated. Hope you like this next chapter!**

It wasn't until late in the afternoon that I was able to drag myself away from Alex's bed. Every time either of us tried to separate we would simply take one last glance at each other and fall back into bed all over again. Her lips were my new addiction. I couldn't bear to part without just one more kiss. One more caress. And now as I pulled up in front of my apartment I couldn't bear to go in.

I wanted this bliss to last. Upon leaving Alex's house I made the mistake of checking my phone. Sure enough there were 28 texts and 11 phone calls from none other than Polly Harper. Wishing to postpone the inevitable I sent her a quick text saying I'd be back soon and swung by a coffee shop hoping to appease her with caffeine. Unfortunately I was now out of time.

Walking up the stairs I paused outside of our door taking one final deep breath. Luckily I had found a jacket in my backseat so hiding the hickeys wasn't too much of a problem. Hopefully she'd be to frazzled to notice how rough I looked.

As I lifted my key to the lock the door swung open. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Standing before me was one enraged brunette. It seems the coffee wouldn't suffice as a peace offering.

"Piper I was minutes away from calling the police you idiot! Do you have any idea how worried I was? If it weren't for the fact that I'm the best fucking friend in the world I would've had your parents out looking for your ass the moment you didn't come home. Where were you? Was it really to much to ask for a simple text message saying 'oh hi Polly so quick thing I'm staying out tonight but I'll be home soon so don't assume I'm dead or taken.' I mean honestly Piper I was fucking scared! You can't just disappear! What were you thinking you- OH MY GOD IS THAT A HICKEY?!"

_Shit. _The sweatshirt covered my entire torso so I of course assumed I would be able to walk away Scott free. But no that would be too easy. Alex decided to mark me like a damn animal. For right under the hem of my shorts on my inner thigh was a perfect pink and blue bruise. _God damn it Alex!_

"Huh well see that's actually a funny story Pol… I got you some coffee by the way. Mocha Frappe… it's your favorite. So I kind of have been talking to someone for a while now. We aren't serious or anything but yesterday we ran into each other and one thing led to another… Well you know what happened. Anyway it's not a big deal and I'm exhausted so I'm just going to take a nap. Your hair looks nice this morning; I'm digging the curled ends, very classy. Night Pol!"

With that I made a dash for my bedroom letting out a silent prayer that my rambling would distract her long enough for me to make an escape. As I reached my door a risked a glance back to see Polly opening and closing her mouth like a stunned fish. Her brain was trying to process all of the information I had just dumped in her lap. She looked at the coffee in her hand before squinting her eyebrows and whipping her head in my direction.

"Wait a second! If you think for one second that we are done here then you-" The door swung shut loudly behind my retreating form and the lock loudly clicked into place. "Have another thing—Piper come back here! We are not done!"

As the seconds passed by she realized that I wasn't coming back out to face her. "Fine you coward. But I live here too so you will have to address this sooner or later. And I swear to God if you ever pull that stunt again I will not hesitate to call your parents, do you hear me! This is the last straw Piper! I mean it!" With a huff she stomped off to her room muttering under her breath.

My head banged against the back of the door as I let out a deep sigh. I did not want to explain Alex to Polly. Alex was my guilty pleasure, my private happiness. Polly wouldn't understand. Hell I didn't even truly understand. As I peeled the clothes from my body I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Bruises covered my entire torso and part of my thighs. Remnants of the best night of my life.

And what scared me was that I wanted it again. I already missed her. How twisted was that? After belittling Polly for all these years about her being a lovesick puppy here I was turned into a full-fledged sap after one night! _It was just sex! Neither of you want anything else so do not believe for a second it meant anything deeper. You had a good time. That's enough._ Deep down though I knew that it wasn't. I wanted more. And the worst part was that the Alex I knew wouldn't share those same desires. She made it explicitly clear that she did not do relationships. She doesn't want to claim anyone or have anyone claim her… and yet looking at my skin I start to wonder how true her words were. For she sure as hell claimed me. Marking me as her own so that I'd have to wear a damn turtleneck to keep anyone from seeing her handiwork.

_Why would she do that if she weren't interested in something more? No Piper. She just got caught up in the moment. That's all. _Right, this is just going to be a normal fling. Shaking my head I pull a t-shirt on and climb into bed hoping to get some much needed sleep. As soon as I get close to dosing off my phone lights up. The message I saw makes me fall into slumber with a smile. The phone read a message from _Alex: Last night was amazing. I can't wait to see you again soon. Just so you know, I'm framing those sheets. ;)_

Work was its normal boring self. Nerudas was as dead as usual. A handful of customers would come in and meander around before buying their free trade coffee and a book and heading back to their exciting lives. It was Thursday before I saw Alex again. I was organizing books on one of the back shelves when I felt someone grab my ass. Spinning around I threw my hand back ready to deliver a well-deserved smack when I came face to face with a smirking Alex Vause.

"Aren't you wound up this morning." Laughing she grabbed my hand interlacing it with hers. "Are you here alone?"

Furrowing my brows I glanced around at the obviously deserted store. "Yeah why?"

Before I could even process what was happening her lips were on mine. Due to the surprise it took a second for me to respond. However once I did I quickly became lost in her kiss.

She pushed me up against the bookcase, one hand roaming down my side, and the other curled at the base of my neck pushing me ever closer to her warmth. As her palm slipped inside my shirt I couldn't hold back a moan. I could feel the smirk forming on her face and she broke away with a smile. "You don't know how much I've been wanting to do that."

"Well what took you so long?" I replied. Her thumb caressed my cheek as her eyes flitted around the aisle. "My work keeps me kind of busy. Sometimes I'm gone for weeks without a notice." She shrugged and finally rested her eyes on me once again. "I'm here now though…"

With a shaky voice I breathed out "You are." Glancing at her lips I couldn't help but lick my own. At the sight her jaw clenched and her grip on my waist tightened. Without a moment's hesitation she kissed me again. This time it seemed that she was throwing everything she had into it. Her tongue sought out mine as her hand wandered up to my breast, squeezing and massaging me through my bra.

I was on overdrive. Within moments she had me more worked up than I had ever been before. I could blame it on the time spent apart or the fact that I had been super horny since I saw her last but the truth was that she was just that good. Her body knew exactly how to play mine. It was almost as if we were made to please each other.

Breathing heavily she rested her forehead against mine. "Christ Pipes. You have no fucking clue what you do to me." Smiling I pressed my lips to hers in a chaste kiss. "I think I have an idea."

After a few moments we parted. I straightened my blouse as she leaned up against the opposite book case. She just stared at me as I bent over to pick up the books I had brought to organize. Blushing I continued to arrange them in their designated spots while her eyes continued to burn a hole in the back of my head. Finally after a few moments I was done and we both headed back up to the front of the store.

I sat on the counter while she browsed through some of our recently arrived records. Every once in a while she'd look up and stare when she thought I wasn't watching. Her eyes were questioning as if she wasn't entirely sure what to make of me. It was like I was some complex puzzle she was trying to figure out. Finally after she finished browsing the pile she turned towards me and began to stroke my thigh.

"Listen Pipes, some of my friends and I are going out to this club tomorrow night. You should come." A smile graced my face as I reached out to play with the blue ends of her hair. "You mean with you?" Her hand paused its ministrations to my leg as she cocked her head to the side before replying. "Umm yeah… like we could go together. You'd want that right?"

She asked it so nonchalantly but her posture stiffened as if she was bracing herself for rejection. "Of course, yeah that sounds great." Immediately she relaxed and her hand began caressing me once again. "Great I'll text you the details. Want me to pick you up at your place or…"

Quickly I shook my head. "NO! No, I mean, no that won't be necessary. I can meet you at your place. We can just go from there." The last thing I need is for Polly to answer the door and give Alex the third degree. We aren't even dating, that would screw up any chance I had at seeing her again.

A look of hurt and distrust flickered in Alex's eyes at my sudden dismissal but she buried it so quickly under her indifferent attitude that I had to question if I had imagined the whole thing. "Cool, whatever works best." She smirked and quickly leaned in again, giving me a quick but deep kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As she sauntered out the door I couldn't help but think that the next 24 hours would be the longest of my life.


	6. Chapter 6

**Guys your reviews and pms have truly made my day. I know that my updating is total crap. I sincerely plan on fixing that but I am struggling with what path I want this story to take. I had everything figured out but then some of you starting asking for an ending I didn't really have in mind… but the more I think about it the more I like it… Ugh I will figure this out, promise. Anyway here is the next chapter. I've already started on the one after this so the update should be much faster. Let me know what you think!**

I like to think that I learn from my mistakes… I usually don't make the same error twice. So that is why I found myself being stared down by a speechless brunette while I sipped on a hot cup of tea. Every time I glanced up I found her narrowed eyes staring straight at me. Fidgeting I glanced over at the clock. Had it really only been five minutes?! It felt like hours. Five minutes of absolute silence.

Shrugging I gave up and made to stand. "Ok well I'm just gonna go…"

"Sit your ass down Piper." Immediately I obeyed, clutching my mug with white knuckles.

"So let me get this straight. You are going out tonight with this mysterious lover of yours and probably won't be back until tomorrow. But you don't want to talk about this person because it's still a new relationship and you aren't sure if it will develop into anything serious. So I, your best friend, am supposed to help you woo said person while remaining entirely in the dark just because it would make you more comfortable? Have I got that right?"

"Uh… yes?" She once again just stared at my face as if searching to see if my brain was still functioning. "Umm… I'll love you forever?... I'll owe you one?... Please?"

After another full minute of staring Polly finally sighed. Shaking her head she rolled her eyes and muttered, "Fine but the minute you realize that you're falling for this guy I get the full story. I'm talking every gory disgusting detail do you understand? Otherwise this is a no go."

A smile flitted across my face as I felt a heavy weight lift from my shoulders. She'd keep my secret. Alex was still solely mine… for a while at least. Leaning over I wrapped my insufferable roommate up in a quick but much needed hug while whispering, "Thanks Pol, you're the best." Snorting she muttered, "You bet your ass I am. Now come on. We gotta get you ready for tonight!"

She pulled me from the couch and tugged me towards my bedroom and for the first time in weeks I found myself laughing with my best friend.

As I pulled up to Alex's place I felt a wave of nervousness wash over me. I was going to meet Alex's friends. As sophisticated as Alex was I could only presume that her friends were too. What if I didn't fit in with her crowd? Would she realize that I was an ignorant child and choose to end our… thing? I had just gotten a taste of her, I couldn't lose her yet. _Oh my god you sound desperate. Get a hold of yourself Piper! This is just a night at a club. You got this. Get drunk and dance. _Squaring my shoulders I hopped out of my car and headed into her building. I fixed the hem of my dress while ascending in the elevator towards her floor. Flashbacks to my first time in this elevator overwhelmed me and a rush of heat rocketed straight to my core. God it was going to be a long night.

Before long I found myself in front of her door. After knocking I ran my hands through my curls one last time, making sure that I was the image of perfection. A black dress hugged my curves; stopping mid thigh and four-inch black heels covered my feet. Dark eye shadow graced my face giving me a sultry look. I felt ready for anything. Then the door swung open and I felt my jaw drop.

Standing before me in a tight red dress and black pumps was Alex. The tight top pushed her breasts up to reveal a nearly obscene amount of cleavage. An image of me licking and sucking those swells until they were covered in marks flashed across my mind making me blush a deep red. Glancing up I noticed that she bore the same look of hunger in her eyes that I had in mine. I made a mental reminder to thank Polly for picking out this outfit when I got home.

"Wow Pipes. You look great. Love the dress." Smirking she ushered me into her home stating that she, "Had to grab her purse and then she'd be ready." Before she disappeared into her room she peeked back at me standing in her living room and smiled. With a shake of her head she entered the room leaving me to look around.

The first thing I noticed was the growing record collection stacked beside her player. It seems Alex may be Neruda's best customer. I couldn't gauge whether or not her bookcase was fuller due to it being overflowing last time I was there. Everything else looked remotely the same. Trinkets scattered here and there that appeared to have been gathered from across the globe. A blanket tossed over the couch, and pillows arranged haphazardly giving the space a relaxed look.

Her window offered an amazing view of the city. A blanket of lights surrounded us. Buildings twinkling for as far as the eye could see. For a minute I was lost in the sight until I felt a warmth come up behind me. "Quite a view huh?"

Smiling wistfully I turned and placed an arm around her waist. "It's gorgeous. So serene. I feel like I could get lost in viewing the city for hours."

Pressing a kiss to my temple she hummed in reply. Then I felt her lip twitch in a smile as she broke away from my embrace. Walking towards the door she laughed "Well why don't we go get lost in living instead. The club awaits, my lady."

Chuckling I walked with her out the door and towards what was sure to be a night I wouldn't forget.

The club had a line that wrapped around the block consisting of gorgeous men and women who were itching for a night of release. Inwardly I sighed, waiting in these heels was going to be hell. Alex noticed my despondent expression and laughed. "Oh Pipes you have no idea how adorable you are. You honestly think I'd wait in a fucking line to dance? Give me a little more credit than that." Furrowing my brow I looked around for a different club nearby, one that didn't have a wait. Failing to spot one I felt myself becoming hopelessly confused. "Then how are we-" Before I could even finish my line of thought Alex had drug us both up to the door. Nodding at the bouncer she linked our hands and threw a "Thanks Pete" to the man as he removed the rope barring our entrance and we entered the club. I simply stared at Alex as she walked us over to the bar. _Who the fuck is this person? Is she like some freaking James Bond?_

Feeling my stare she turned, thrusting a tequila shot in my hand. "Relax Pipes, I know some people. Here, tequila's your favorite right?" Nodding dumbly I took the shot, following her lead and downed it before I completely registered what she had said. "Wait how did you know it was my favorite?"

Once again I found myself being stared at; assessed. "You told me once" was all she said before looking around and spotting her friends. "There they are, come on." As she lead me over to a secluded booth all I could think was _Alex remembered my favorite drink. Maybe she cares more than I realized._

Reaching the booth I was met with a group of intrigued and guarded faces. A tall redhead ran her gaze over my form before settling on my face. "So you're the infamous Piper. You're a lot younger than I realized. You sure you're not out past your bedtime?"

Bristling I clenched my jaw as I fought back a snarky remark. Alex on the other hand just laughed and pulled me closer. "Oh back off Jules, you're just jealous that I found her first. We all know how deep your obsession with blondes is. Carlos man where is the booze? Don't tell me you losers were waiting on me to get the party started. As flattered as I am, I could really use a shot."

Laughter erupted from the group as Carlos waved a waitress over. "Shots all around, and keep them coming." Alex pulled me into the booth beside her while several of the women in the group continued to watch my every move. Shifting nervously I turned my attention to Alex and the conversation she was having with some chic named Sam. They were talking about some gallery that was opening next week. I didn't even know Alex was into art. Though that would explain the ridiculously expensive paintings that graced nearly every wall in her apartment.

As I attempted to follow their conversation a muscular Spanish man slid into the spot next to me. Handing me a shot he smiled and nodded towards Sam. "Those two will go on for hours when they start talking about art. My name is Joaquín. So Piper tell me about yourself. What do you do?"

Downing the shot I flashed him a genuine smile. Here was someone who didn't look at me like I was a bomb ready to go off at any moment. "I'm in college. I work at a local coffee shop that specializes in vinyls and books. That's where I met Alex." Flicking my eyes around the table I leaned into Joaquín and whispered as best I could over the music. "So all of you guys are like friends of Alex?"

Chuckling he sipped on a whiskey and shook his head. "God no. Alex… well lets just say she's not exactly an extremely social person. Which is part of the reason why we are all so fascinated with you. She usually finds one-night stands; I can't think of a single time we've actually met someone she's been with more than once. But to answer your question, no. Most of us know her through work. While I would consider us to be friendly I can't say that she shares much of her personal life with any of us… but then again we don't exactly share ours with her. It's just how we work."

Smiling he nodded towards the women still glancing every now and then in my direction. "Don't mind them. Alex is quite a catch. Most of these ladies have either wanted her or have had her but only for a night. They are fiercely protective of her even though she rarely gives them the time of day. You young lady have them baffled. You seem to have done the unthinkable. And they are trying to determine whether you are a threat or not."

My eyes widened at the news and I studied the women's faces a little more intently before whispering again, "But I haven't done anything! Alex and I haven't talked about us or what we have at all. We aren't dating… I don't even know if we are exclusive. We just are… I don't know, we just ARE. Does that make sense?"

"Oh honey these girls would kill to be just ARE with Alex. Trust me. She wouldn't have brought you if you didn't mean something to her. But you didn't hear that from me. In fact I think I'd better stop talking altogether. I know better than to piss her off. It's a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone." With a wink he slipped out of the booth again and meandered over towards the dance floor grabbing a girl to come with him as he went.

_I DO mean something to her._ Glancing over at Alex I found her still deep in conversation with Sam. Holding my breath I reached under the table and grabbed her hand, interlacing her fingers with mine. I saw her pause mid sentence before smirking and continuing on as if nothing had happened. Except now her thumb was rubbing little circles on my hand. I couldn't help but smile as I began looking around the club one more time. I noticed a couple grinding on the dance floor and gazed at their moves not realizing that Alex had finished talking and was now watching me.

I jumped in my seat when I felt her breath caress my ear as she whispered, "Wanna dance?" _Way to go Piper. So much for playing it cool. _I simply scooted out of the booth, never releasing her hand as we walked towards the other couples. Once we were in the middle of the mob I felt Alex grab my hips and pull me flush against her. We moved together in sync as the beat cascaded around us. The feel of her breasts on my back made my body immediately heat up. I ground my ass into her crotch and her hands immediately tightened on my waist. We were practically glued together as we danced to song after song. Our bodies refusing to part regardless of the sweat that was gathering on us both.

Joaquín watched us from his own spot on the dance floor and fought to repress a smile. When I locked eyes with him he shot me a wink and I felt a blush cover my entire body. Turning in Alex's hold I leaned into her neck, placing soft open mouth kisses to the skin I found there. When I reached her pulse point I bit down slightly evoking a moan which I felt ripple through her throat.

Raising my lips to her ear I licked the outer shell before husking out, "How much longer until we go to your place?" A shiver rocked through her entire body as she stared deeply into my eyes. "Give me five minutes." With that she grabbed my hand and drug me from the dance floor and back to the booth. "I'll be right back, don't move." I downed another shot as I tried to catch my breath.

A tall brunette seated across from me laughed and tossed a napkin at me to get my attention. "I totally get it now sweetheart. DAMN! That was hot!" Blushing I gave a slight smile as I looked around for Alex. The redhead frowned and reluctantly nodded. "You just better pray to God that you don't hurt her. Have a good time all you want but the minute you cause her pain you better start running. We don't respond well to bitches that fuck over our friends."

My eyebrows rose at the venom in her voice before the brunette slapped her arm and told her to calm the fuck down that Alex was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. I didn't hear the rest of her speech as I finally spotted Alex in a dark corner of the club. She was talking to a man with luscious black hair. He gestured towards his watch and she squared her shoulders and jabbed her thumb towards a door in the back. Glancing behind her at the door he shrugged before handing over a wad of cash. Alex quickly shoved it in her purse and leaned in prodding her finger into his chest. He held up his hands and backed up a few steps before giving a sinister smile and walking away. Alex shook her head then turned and headed back to the booth.

Once she saw me staring at her she plastered on a fake smile and shrugged as if what had just occurred was just some elaborate joke. When she got close enough she leaned in and gave me a deep kiss. "Mmm Pipes let's get out of here." As soon as her lips were on mine I had trouble remembering what the questions were I wanted to ask.

Sliding out of the booth I stood and she immediately wrapped her arm around my waist. Pulling me close she began to kiss my neck and ran her lips up to my jaw before placing them once more over mine. I was done for. "Let's go." I muttered in reply as she waved a hand in the direction of her friends and began pulling me towards the door.

She seemed adamant to make me forget the confusing scene I had just witnessed. All I could think of was that if she kept kissing me like this I'd let her. _Who the fuck cares what that was about. All that matters is that Alex never stops kissing me like this. God don't stop! _

As we reached her apartment she paused outside her door and gazed intently into my eyes as if begging me to not ask anything of her that she couldn't give. Smiling in understanding I nodded once and leaned in to kiss her again. I felt her sigh against my mouth before she reached up and pulled me to her hard. And once again we allowed our bodies to indulge in what was clearly becoming our favorite addiction.


	7. Chapter 7

The feeling of fingers slowly running through my hair slowly stirred me from sleep. Blinking I glanced over at the presence next to me, immediately catching emerald eyes. I reached up and entwined my hand with hers while slowly rolling my neck, relieving the tension built up from last night.

"Good morning Pipes." Smiling I rolled over to face Alex, arm supporting my head, as I swept my eyes down her barely covered figure. "Morning… How long have you been awake?"

Alex stared at our joined hands and slowly ran her thumb over the soft skin. Shrugging she replied, "Not long, you just looked really peaceful and I didn't want to wake you." Her eyes never left our hands as she adjusted her position beside me, her head leaning on her head for support.

"Alex?" Her shoulders immediately tensed and her jaw clenched as she prepared herself for the question we both knew needed to be asked. Images from last night were running through my brain. A torrent of questions flooded my thoughts as I struggled to understand the enigma that was Alex Vause. And yet as I watched her brace herself for my inquiry I couldn't make myself form a question. What if my curiosity forced our fragile, can I even call it a relationship, to end? I don't want to lose her. So instead of demanding answers, instead of probing for the truth, I simply sighed and said, "What's for breakfast?"

Her head immediately snapped up and her eyes were narrowed in both surprise and confusion. I offered her a soft smile which immediately caused her shoulders to relax, her brow to unfurrow. "Uh, I can whip up some pancakes or something if you want? I have eggs too, and I think a few things of oatmeal left if you'd rather go the healthy route."

"Pancakes sound perfect." Alex continued to stare at me in disbelief, as if she was expecting me to end this façade at any moment. Smiling, I rolled my eyes and crawled from the bed. Grabbing an old Grateful Dead t-shirt from one of her drawers I began to partially dress as I headed towards her kitchen. "Whenever you're ready feel free to join me."

I had already poured a glass of juice by the time Alex decided to join me. Grabbing the glass from my hand she took a long sip. "I should've known you'd be an orange juice type of girl. As refreshing as this is I'm going to need some coffee if I'm going to function." Reaching behind me she grabbed a bag of beans and a grinder and began to dole out a portion. "You want some?"

Shaking my head I agreed and leaned against a counter to watch her work. After grinding the beans and transferring to the pot she began working on the pancakes while the coffee brewed.

"So do your cooking skills expand beyond breakfast foods or are you a one trick pony?" 

Smirking she turned and raised an eyebrow. "I guess you'll have to stick around and find out." With that she resumed pouring batter into the pan. I fought to keep my face straight as I processed what her words.

_She wants me to stick around… This could work. We could be ok._ I felt something begin to stir in my chest. Something I spent my entire life trying to avoid. Rather than acknowledge the fact that I was falling hard for this women I decided to focus on something more tangible, breakfast.

Alex began to hum as she tossed the finished products onto a plate. Grabbing two mugs she poured the steaming coffee and glanced over asking, "Pipes you want sugar or something?"

"Oh god yes, thanks." With an expert hand, she poured a perfect amount of sugar into the mug, stirred, and handed it over to my waiting hands. "Thanks," I whispered as I took a tentative sip. Moaning I sighed, "Alex this is fucking perfect. Where on earth did you get this?"

Swallowing hard, Alex shook her head and made her way to the table with the plate of pancakes. "It's from that café Amelie's downtown. They're stuff is Free Trade and well, really great… Though if you make that noise again I can't promise that I'll be able to control myself from taking you right here on the floor." Winking she sat down as she doled out fluffy goodness onto our plates.

My face flushed bright red as I opened and closed by mouth not able to form any coherent words. Laughter pulled me from my thoughts as I looked over and saw Alex motioning towards the chair. "Geez Pipes lighten up. Come eat."

Sitting down I poured syrup onto the pancakes and took my first bite. "Ok I guess if you'd prefer to eat that I won't take it as an insult. Just know I was referencing something else."

I immediately began to choke as I fought laughter. Spluttering I was finally able to swallow the food and gulp in a breath of air. "You asshole!" Laughing Alex flicked her napkin in my direction as I fought to regain my composure.

As her mirth died down she sipped on the coffee, eyes still alight with humor and a sliver of a smile on her lips. _I want this every morning. This is what happiness looks like. _Catching my gaze her eyebrows rose in question at the wonder in my eyes. Shaking my head I looked down and continued to eat, pushing the unsettling thoughts as far from my mind as possible. Those thoughts would only lead to pain.

The rest of the morning flew by in the same blissful state. Dishes were cleared as we cleaned in unison, a perfect pair. An hour was spent in the shower, worshipping each other once again, internally begging for this to never end. As I gathered my belongings to leave I felt two arms circle around my waist and soft lips pressed to my neck. 

"When can I see you again?" Closing my eyes I let her presence wash over me as I leaned into her embrace and sighed. "Whenever you want. Call and I'll come."

Immediately the arms left me, her presence retreating from my personal space. I turned in surprise; confused over what I'd said that caused this sudden change. With arms folded Alex stared at me for what seemed like ages before lifting a hand to fiddle with her glasses. "You'll come here?"

My eyes flitted over her features searching for the hidden message I knew she was projecting. "Yeah… that would be easiest right? I mean if you would prefer to meet up somewhere that's fine too."

Clenching her jaw, Alex averted her gaze to stare at the bookshelf across the room. "I see." She shifted from one foot to the other before motioning towards the door. "I guess I'll see you later then." With that she turned and walked back towards her living room leaving me standing with an open mouth and furrowed brow. _What the fuck?_

"Alex wait. What did I do?" I stormed after her and grabbed her arm; turning her to face me, to tell me where I had messed up. "Nothing Pipes. Forget it. I just thought… ya know what no, it's nothing."

I frantically searched her eyes, desperately looking for a clue. "Alex, please. What… what did you think?" She just stared blankly at me, mask fully in place. "What do you want from this Pipes?"

_What? You, I obviously want you. _"I don't understand… You mean do I want a relationship?" Her silence was my only answer. "I… well do you?" With a scoff she walked towards the window gazing out onto the vibrant city below.

"Alex, Alex look at me." Sighing she slowly turned to face me. "Alex, I want you. But I'm not a child. I get it, really I do. You've told me countless times that you don't do relationships and I understand that. I don't do well with commitment either. I've never had anyone I wanted to tie myself down to… but Alex I want you. So I'll play your game. If you want a no strings attached relationship I'm game. If you want handholding and picnics I'll do that too. I just… I don't know what you want Alex. Tell me what you want."

She continued to stare as if searching for the truth behind my words. Then she sighed and ran a hand over her face. "I want… Pipes you met my friends. I'm not hiding you. But you didn't want me coming to your apartment and now you're scheduling all of our time together here, hidden away. What the hell was I supposed to think? No I don't do relationships but I don't want to be your dirty little secret either."

"Ok." Cupping her face I forced her to meet my gaze. "Ok. I can do that. I just didn't… I didn't know Alex. You have to understand that this is all new to me. I'm not good with this type of stuff. I don't know what to do." Leaning in I kissed her lips, refusing to move until she kissed me back, reassured me that we were good. _We're ok. This will work._

"Why don't you come over for dinner tomorrow? Polly will be there. She's an asshole but I love her. I'll try to get her to tone it down but I'm warning you now, she can be quite… intense."

Alex offered a quick smile before nodding. "Alright sure. I'm sure I can handle Holly."

_Oh God. _"Yeah call her Holly tomorrow and see how far you make it unscathed, I dare you." Chuckling she moved herself away from me and motioned towards the door again. "Well you better get going before Holly calls the has a coronary. I'll see you tomorrow."

Searching her face once more I tried to find the reassurance that everything was in fact ok. Her smile didn't reach her eyes but at least it was there. Her eyes seemed confused, almost as if she didn't know herself what was happening. I decided to risk it and grabbed my stuff once more. Opening the door I glanced back and offered what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Then I slipped into the hall and tried to figure out what I was going to tell Polly. In the back of my mind a small voice whispered _it's going to be ok. We have to be ok._

**Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews. I hope you guys like this. Let me know your thoughts!**


	8. Chapter 8

Glancing down I fiddled with the hem of my blouse in an attempt to calm down. _Breathe Piper. This will go ok. Everything is ok. _I jumped when a loud bang rang throughout the apartment followed quickly by a string of muffled curses from the obviously excited Polly.

Sighing, I braced my shoulders and made my way out into the chaos that was my kitchen. Crouching on the floor, almost entirely emerged in a bottom cabinet was my overly enthused roommate.

Images of last night ran through my mind as I listened to the muttering wafting out from under the counter. We had been drinking wine on the couch last night when I casually mentioned I had invited the person I was seeing over for dinner.

"YOU WHAT? OH MY GOD PIPER! What are we going to do? We have to go to the store, let me grab my cookbook. What are we going to make? I can't believe you're telling me this now. I have zero time to prepare! What is wrong with you?"

"What do you mean? You're making pasta… You already have everything why are we going to the store?"

"Piper this is a big deal you asshole. When was the last time you brought someone over? When was the last time you liked someone as much as you do this guy? We can't serve him pasta; well at least we can't serve him the type of pasta we normally eat. You have to impress, Piper. So tell me, which of these two would they like better? Seafood piccata or smoked salmon tortellini with Bechamel sauce? Oh! Or maybe we should skip pasta altogether! Maybe a chicken or a –"

"Dear Lord, calm down! Just make whatever. As long as it doesn't give us all food poisoning there won't be a problem. But listen to me Polly I swear to God if you embarrass me I will kick your ass into next week. Do you understand me?! There will be no stories about our spring break, no pictures will be shown, and if you value your life at all you will refrain from even thinking about the video you have of us drunk karaoking."

A sickeningly sweet smile flitted across Polly's face as she slowly sipped from her glass of wine. "Whatever you say Piper." With that she hopped off the couch and ran to her room to change. An hour later she was walking back into the apartment carrying bags full of groceries and a wicked attitude. Without even pausing on her way to the kitchen she began to toss instructions over her shoulder on different things she needed me to clean.

To make a long story short, we didn't get to bed until very late. But I had to give it to her, our apartment looked better than it ever had.

Now we had half an hour until Alex was due to arrive and Polly was frantically putting the final touches on what she deemed was "the best meal she'd ever made." After plating the picatta she added a garnish or two and began to set the table. "Piper grab the bread out of the oven, will you?" Shaking my head I did her bidding while admiring her work. Damn I should definitely learn how to cook. The aromas hanging heavy in the air made my mouth water and I knew without a doubt I owed her big time.

As we set the table I chewed my lip while trying to figure out how to phrase my next statement in a way that would lead to little or preferably no outburst from my roommate. "Hey Pol, I uh… there's something I forgot to mention about Alex. You see-" A knock on the door interrupted me as Polly whirled to face the door.

"He's early! Crap, Piper hurry up! Go put you perfume on you skank, I'll get the door."

"Uh, Polly I –"

"There's no time! Go!" With that she shoved me towards my room and began to make her way to the door. _Shit. _I ran to my room and spritzed on my perfume, freezing when I heard her open the door.

"Hi you must be Al… you're a girl…" _Oh God._ I cringed as I ran a hand slowly down my face. _So much for a good evening. _

"Hi Holly, you're a girl too! Wow, what a world we live in." Glancing over, she saw me lingering in the doorway and gave me a wink. "Hey Pipes. I know I'm a few minutes early but traffic was surprisingly great. I brought some wine by the way." Walking over she grabbed me by the waist and placed a kiss to my temple. Looking down at my flustered and embarrassed face she chuckled. "So what's for dinner?"

Polly was still standing with one hand on the door gaping at us as she attempted to process what had just happened. Finally she shook her head and motioned towards the table. "Uh seafood piccata. There's a bucket of ice for the wine at the table too, thanks."

As Alex walked past, dragging me behind her with one hand, Polly shot me a look that let me know she would definitely be killing me in my sleep tonight. As we all took our seats I nervously glanced over at Alex who had a smirk firmly in place the entire time.

"So Holly, what do you do for a living? Are you a student like Piper?" 

"It's Polly actually and yeah, I'm studying public relations. Piper and I make soaps in our free time and I'll occasionally sell those but it's not really a full time position."

Alex raised an eyebrow and turned towards me. "You make soap?"

"Yeah, it was kind of just a hobby but then Polly thought we could make some money out of it so we go to this big craft show each month and sell it all then. It's a lot easier than selling drugs ya know?" I chuckled and Alex gave a wry smile. "I'm sure it is."

"So Alex what do you do?" Immediately my head snapped up from gazing at my plate and focused intently on that gorgeous face beside me. _Yes Alex what is it that you do? _

Cocking her head to the side, she picked up her glass of wine and slowly brought it to her lips. "I sell art," she said before taking a sip. _What the fuck? Art? Well that would explain all the pieces in her apartment._

"Art... like you're an artist or…"

There was that infuriating smirk again. "No, I find art. Then I convince the artist to sell it to me or to let me act as their agent. Then I sell it again for triple the price to collectors across the globe."

"Oh wow. That's actually really cool. Damn Piper why didn't you tell me that?"

"I umm, I didn't know. That's amazing Alex. So that's why you travel so much?"

"Yeah, well… that and I just really fucking love to travel." She glanced over, took one look at the extremely impressed look on my face and rolled her eyes. "So Piper hasn't told me much about you, why is that? Are you like super boring or something?"

"ALEX!"

"What? You haven't! She seems normal to me. Not at all what I was expecting. So what's her flaw? Is she boring? Thinks she's your mom even though you're the same age? Oh God do you have like a really embarrassing Beanie Baby collection or something?" Her eyes danced as she waited for Polly to respond.

I braced myself for the explosion I knew would occur at any moment. Instead a miracle occurred. Across the table Polly completely lost it. She began laughing so hard her face turned red and she clumsily reached out for her wine. "I'll have you know my Beanie Babies are superb bitch." _She's… she's laughing? What is happening?_

"I'm sure they are Holly. They win first prize at the nerd convention every year don't they?"

"But of course. Though if you think that's embarrassing I'd hate to see what your thoughts are on this lovely video I have of Piper drunk Karaoking at Molly's Tavern last year. Talk about a hot mess."

Groaning I rose from my chair and took mine and Alex's plate into the kitchen. "I hate you both. I just want that to be abundantly clear."

Both women let out sadistic chuckles behind me as they began clearing up the rest of the table. Suddenly two arms circled around my waist as Alex pulled me flush against her body. "How ever will I make it up to you I wonder?"

Rolling my eyes I leaned in for a brief kiss before shoving her towards the living room. "You're an ass, " I muttered. A deep laugh escaped her chest as she motioned towards Polly. "In that case I definitely want to see that video."

Polly threw her a thumbs up and ran towards her room to grab her laptop. As I watched the two of them settle on the couch I couldn't help but smile.

_This is going to work. _

_**Hey guys I am so sorry for the delayed update. My job and school literally suck away every ounce of free time I have but we are approaching a break soon so I should be more consistent in the future. Let me know what you guys think! I love and cherish your reviews. **_


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